Five illegal temples still open at Vietnam's Perfume Pagoda despite crackdown

By MARGIE MASON
Associated Press Writer

HUONG SON, Vietnam (AP) As pilgrims scale the steep path to Vietnam's sacred Perfume Pagoda, many slide money into a box at a small Buddhist altar in the Hinh Huong temple along the way, unaware it's embroiled in a fake shrine controversy.

Officials near this famous religious and tourist site have encouraged everyone to donate freely, assuring pilgrims that fake shrines illegally built by villagers as a moneymaking scam would be shut down.

But as thousands make the climb to pray during this year's three-month Huong Pagoda festival season, five of 42 temples deemed illegitimate by the federal government last year are still running, sanctioned by local officials.

The local officials say the five temples are legitimate because they were built by villagers more than half a century ago and have long been used for worship. The other 37, shut down last year, were built by individuals in the 1990s solely to make money.

Some pilgrims say they still feel cheated by the five temples remaining open.

``I think some people had taken advantage of religion to make money,'' said Nguyen Huu Thanh, visiting from Hanoi. ``We've spent a lot of time and energy to come to the pagoda to pray for happiness and wellness for the family.''

Pilgrim Nguyen Thi Thao said the government should take concrete measures to shut down all the fake pagodas. ``It's harming the traditions of Vietnam,'' she said.

The Perfume Pagoda, 45 miles west of Hanoi, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in this tightly-controlled communist country.

The network of temples and limestone caves pulls in 300,000 visitors and an estimated $500,000 during the festival, which is part of Vietnam's new year season.

Officials near the site are seeking federal recognition for the five pagodas.

``They've been in the village for a long time,'' said Nguyen Xuan Sinh, deputy chairman of the area's People's Committee.

No one has been charged with any crime. Villagers who built fake shrines and sometimes dressed up as monks have even asked to be compensated for religious statues and other paraphernalia confiscated from the sites, Sinh said.

Some villagers freely admit they took advantage of phony shrines.

Nguyen Duy Tan, of nearby Yen Vi village, said his small tea and fruit stand off the main trail boomed after fellow villagers invented a myth about a nearby rock that resembled a fish transforming into a dragon and put up a nearby altar to collect money.

Tan said the fake site brought in about $670 a year during its nine years of operation.

``A lot of people came and believed it,'' he said, pointing to the rock formation.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)